title: Role of plant peroxisomes in protection against herbivores.
abstract: Peroxisomes are subcellular organelles of vital importance. They are ubiquitous, have a single membrane and execute numerous metabolic reactions in plants. Plant peroxisomes are multifaceted and have diverse functions including, but not limited to, photomorphogenesis, lipid metabolism, photorespiration, nitrogen metabolism, detoxification and plant biotic interactions. Plants have evolved a variety of defence barriers against herbivory. These barriers are unique and loaded with various metabolites. Peroxisomes play an important role in cells, maintaining the compartmentation of certain specific reactions. They serve as a first line of defence, as peroxisomes generate primary signals such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Both ROS and RNS sense the invasion by herbivores and dramatically reshape the plant transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes, so indicating the importance of signals generated by peroxisomes. Peroxisomes also store a plethora of important enzymes, which have a key role in producing defence molecules. Some of the main enzymes in the biosynthesis of isoprenoids are present in peroxisomes. These enzymes generate plant volatiles, which have numerous functions and important roles in plant-herbivore communication.Although disputed, the enzyme myrosinase has also been reported to be present in peroxisomes, and myrosinases are well known for their role in the mustard bomb, a powerful defence against herbivores. This chapter focuses on the diverse roles of peroxisomes in the generation of direct and indirect defenses against herbivores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straβe 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany, mohammed.shabab@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shabab
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D060434:Herbivory; D006801:Humans; D020675:Peroxisomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013729:Terpenes; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C022739:thioglucosidase